Two Metairie men threatened and beat witnesses during the investigation into the death of a 7-year-old River Ridge girl who was killed by a stray bullet as she slept in her apartment, according to an indictment and court records prosecutors unsealed Friday.

Samuel Baker, 24, and Joshua Moss, 22, were arrested Friday, more than a week after a Jefferson Parish grand jury indicted them on charges of obstruction of justice in a homicide.

The charges stem from the Nov. 8 death of Paige DeJean, who was asleep on an air mattress in the Mark Twain II apartment complex in the 10000 block of Jefferson Highway, when about 4 a.m., a bullet intended for someone else fired from blocks away pierced a wall and struck her in the neck.

7-year-old Paige DeJean

Baker and Moss allegedly were with Roger Chairs, 21, and Andre Preston, 21, both of Kenner, during the shooting. Chairs and Preston are charged with second-degree murder in the child's death.

During a court hearing Dec. 15, Detective Brett Beavers of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office testified the shooting stemmed from an ongoing feud between two groups from the Bunche Village neighborhood. Beavers testified two men were with Chairs and Preston during the shootout.

Chairs and Preston were indicted with Baker and Moss on March 4. Chairs and Preston, whose indictments were unsealed Thursday, pleaded innocent to the charges Friday, records show.

The U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force arrested Baker at his home at 8700 Sheldon St., and Moss was taken into custody on Roosevelt Boulevard near West Metairie Avenue about 6 a.m., said Col. John Fortunato of the Sheriff's Office.

"They were picked up within minutes of each other," and without incident, Fortunato said.

They are being held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna.

The Jefferson Parish district attorney's office sought secrecy in the case because Baker and Moss were still at large when the grand jury charged them, prosecutors said in court records unsealed Friday.

Police have been seeking Baker and Moss since March 3, and prosecutors wanted the indictments sealed until they were arrested, fearing they would flee or harm witnesses if they knew they were charged, prosecutors say in court records.

Their charges stem from their allegedly impeding the investigation "by physically and by word of mouth telling witnesses not to cooperate" with detectives, Assistant District Attorney Tommy Block wrote in his request to seal the indictments.

"There are several witnesses in this case whose lives have been threatened as a result of their knowledge of the facts," Block wrote in requesting secrecy, adding that Baker and Moss "may attempt to kill or further prevent the cooperation of these witnesses prior to their being arrested on the indictment."

Judge Steve Windhorst of the 24th Judicial District Court granted the request March 4 and set their bonds at $750,000 each, records show.

Chairs also was indicted on a charge of obstruction of justice in a homicide, in connection with DeJean's death, and for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He and Preston also are charged with attempted second-degree murder, accused of shooting at a man in Kenner in September.

During the past six years, Baker has been convicted of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine; resisting arrest and possession of marijuana; and distributing cocaine within 1,000 feet of a church, court records show.

Chairs also has a conviction for selling cocaine within 1,000 feet of the same church, albeit a month before Baker did, records show.

Moss has convictions for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of marijuana, records show.